Vending-machine.



No. 814,332. PATENTED MAB. 6, 1906.

L. G. SPOONER.

VENDING MACHINE.

AiPLIGATION FILED AUG. 6, 1904- 3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

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VENDING MACHINE. APPLIOATION FILED AUG. 6,. 1904.

'No'. 814,332. PATENTED MAR. 6, 1906.

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No. 814,332 PATENTED MAR. 6, 1906. L. G. SPOONER. VENDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 6, 1904.

3 SHEETSSHEET 3.

Inventor z Witnesses.

Attorneys.

of the mechanism comprises side plate 7. The side plates are UNITEDSTATES PATENT OFFICE.

LEE O. SPOONER, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR TO THE PETERMANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, A CORPORA- TION OFMISSOURI.

VENDING-MACHINE.

Patented March 6, 1906.

Application filed August 6,1904. Serial No- 219,734.

To all whom it natty concern:

Be it known that 1, LEE 0. SPooNER, a citizen of the United States, anda resident of the city of St. Louis and State of Missouri, have inventeda new and useful Improvement in Vending-Machines, of which the followingis a specification.

My invention relates to vending-machines, and especially to machines forvending cigars. Its principal objects are to provide a machine which maybe adjusted for different sizes of cigars, so that the operation uponone size shall be identical with the operation upon another size, toarrange the cigars as they come from the box in a column from which thebottom cigar is ejected, to provide improved means for feeding thecigars into the chute in which the column is formed, to provide anagitating-platform having a reciprocatory feed-slide, and other objectshereinafter more fully appearing.

My invention consists in the parts and in the arrangements andcombinations of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, andwherein like symbols refer to like parts wherever they occur, Figure 1is a vertical sectional view of the delivery mechanism, the parts beinganjusted to accommodate the largest cigars and the ejecting mechanismbeing in its rearmost position. Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional viewsimilar to Fig. 1, the ejecting mechanism being shown in the foremostposition assumed in delivering a cigar. Fig 3 is a front view of themechanism shown in Fig. 1, theadjustable plate and parts in frontthereof being re moved. Fig. 4 is a rear view. Fig. 5 is a perspectiveView of parts of the machine; and Fig. 6 is a vertical sectional viewsimilar to Fig. 1, the parts being adjusted to accommodate the smallestcigars.

The case for the working parts herein described may be of any desiredform. Hence only the front bar 1, to which the mechanism is connected,need be referred to. The frame plates 2, 3 4 5 6 and a each provided Theplate 7 which are connected by rods with inwardly-turned ears 8.

has a downwardly-turned extension,which is bifurcated end of anactuating-lever 26.

nto the bar 1 secure the frame in the case.

While this is the preferred construction, it is to be understood thatthe case can be made the frame of the mechanism, if desired.

A plate 10, provided with tapped ears 11, depends at the extreme frontof the frame. Ears 12 are provided at the front upper corners of theside plates 2. Screws 13 extend through the cars 12 into the tapped ears11, secured to the plate 10. By this means the plate may be raised andlowered. The slot through which the cigars are ejected occurs betweenthe lower edge of the plate 10 and the upper surface of the plate 7.Hence it follows that the width of the discharge-slot is adjustable.This plate 10 is preferably made of glass,so that the cigars in thechute may be seen by the operator.

The cigars are ejected by a slide having a slot-closing bar 14. This baris preferably made of sheet metal and is so shaped as to provide arabbet 15 at its rear upper corner, into which the adjustable plate 10may descend when lowered. The body of the ejecting-slideis adjustableand consists of an upper frame 16 and a lower frame 17. The sides of thetwo frames are provided with corresponding forty-five-degree inclines 1819. A screw 20, extending in a direction parallel with the inclines,turns in a bearing 21 on the lower frame 17 and engages a tapped hole inthe rear cross-bar 22 on the upper frame. By this means the upper framemay be adjusted downwardly and forwardly, its front plate 23 beingcarried forward to narrow the cigar-receiving opening in theejectingslide. Side plates 24 are rigidly secured to the sides of thelower frame and extend forward therefrom and connect with theslot-closing bar 14. A rod 25 extends from side to side of the lowerframe 17. This rod is engaged by Itjle e actuating mechanism may be ofany desired type, and hence no particular form is shown. The upper framehas a roller 27 at its front upper corner and a top plate 28. The rolleris provided to prevent injury to the cigar above the one being ejected,and the plate 28 afiords a smooth bottom for the column while theejecting-slide is forward of its normal po sition.

The rear wall 29 of the chute through which the column of cigars moveshas side flanges 30, provided with slots 31 32, the axis of the slotsbeing at an angle of forty-five de grees to the horizontal. Pins 33 34,secured to the side plates 2, enter the said slots and support the wall.Adjusting-screws 35 work in bearings 36, mounted on the side plates 2,and in tapped lugs 37, mounted on the flanges 30. The screws arearranged parallel to the slots. The wall is thus capable of forward anddownward movement to reduce the width of the chute and to close up thegap that would be otherwise left when the ejectingslide is reduced inheight by adjustment. The wall is offset intermediate of its ends by anamount equal to the thickness of an apron, hereinafter described.

The cigars are fed forward into the chute by means of an oscillatoryagitating-platform and a reciprocating feed-slide thereon. The platform38 is pivoted intermediate of its ends at such a height that when itsfront end rests upon the rear wall of the chute it will be inclinedconsiderably. This platform is oscillated by means of an upright 39,secured to the ejecting-slide and having a roller 40 at its upper end toengage the bottom of the platform. As the ejecting-slide moves forwardthe platform is oscillated until it occupies a substantially horizontalposition. As the ejecting-slide moves backward the platform falls to itsnormal position.

. A mounting-plate 41 is slidably mounted on the platform. The edges ofthe platform 38 are turned up at right angles to the body thereof andrebent, thus forming grooves. In these grooves the upturned flan es ofthe mounting-plate 41 enter. Upon the front of the mounting-plate aroller 42 is mounted. This roller alines the cigars as they enter thechute. It arranges the cigar immediately over the last cigar in thecolumn in such position that it will freely fall into the chute in theproper position. The oscillation of the platform carries it up and down,during which movement it rolls on the cigars in front of it and alinesthem one on top of another. To prevent the jamming of cigars in thespace left vacant between the roller 42 .and the top of the rear wall 29when the platform raises the roller to its highest position, an apron 43is pivoted upon the mounting-plate 41. The apron falls into the recessformed in the front face of the wall 29 by offsetting the wall, asdescribed above. A bolt 44 is secured in the apron and extends through aslot 45 in the wall of the chute. A nut and washer on the bolt securethe apron so that it cannot move away from the wall, though not sotightly as to interfere with movement up and down with the front end ofthe oscillating platform 38. As the wall 29 is adjusted forwardly bymeans of the adjusting-screws 35 i the apron 43 moves with it and pullsthe mounting-plate 41 and roller 42 forward with it. Thus whatever theadjustment the roller 42 will move up and down as nearly in the plane ofthe rear wall 29 of the chute as the curvature of its path will permit.

The reciprocating feed-slide 47 on the oscillating platform 38 consistsof a plate having upturned flanges and forwardly-extending arms. Ears48, struck up from the rebent portions of the platform 38, together withthe bottom of the platform, form guides between which the slide maymove. The arms extend forwardly over the mounting-plate 41 and slideupon the same. Upon the arms small rollers 49 are so mounted that theydo not touch the mounting-plate when moved forward over it. The numberof these rollers is determined by the dimensions of the machine. Thereshould be enough to reach from the roller at the end of the box to theroller 42 on the mounting-plate. The rollers should be very smallcompared with the diameter of the cigars to be vended. The roller 42should be mounted so low that the plane of the axes of the rollers 49shall pass above its axis. Then it will be impossible to squeeze a cigarbetween the front roller of the slide and the roller 42. The slide isreciprocated simultaneously with the oscillation of the platform bymeans of the arm 50, mounted on the upright 39. The upper end of the armis slotted. A pin 51, secured to the rear edge of the slide, extendsthrough the slot. Thus the arm 50 positively actuates the slide bothforward and backward.

The cigar-box is to be seated on the rods 3 4 5. It rests at its frontend against shoulders in adjustable guide-plates 52, which slide on therods 4 5, being mounted thereon by integral snap clamps 53. Theguideplates have legs 54, which extend down into the chute. The legshave a width equal to the minimum width to which the chute can beadjusted. mit the ejecting-slide to pass beneath them. The guide-platesare recessed on their lower sides to permit oscillation of the platform38. To keep cigars from getting under the guideon the platform, risingand falling with it. These guide-plates may be adjusted to suit a cigarof any desired length.

In operation the cigar-box is seated on its supporting-rods and restsagainst the shoulders on the guide-plates, the front end of the boxhaving been removed. The cigars roll down the inclined platform and intothe IIO They are short enough to perplates, wings 55 are pivoted on themand rest the same time the chute, which becomes filled with them, thebottom cigar lying in the cigar receiving opening of the ejecting-slideand filling the same. When the actuatinglever moves forward, theejecting-slide moves with it and carries the bottom cigar out throughthe discharge-slot and drops it in the receptacle. At

platform is oscillated, agitating the cigars above it and alining thecigars at the top of the chute. The slide also moves forward, looseningthe cigars and imparting a tendency to roll downward. When theactuating-lever recedes, the parts resume their normal position and thecigars in the chute settle down, a new cigar occupying thecigar-receiving recess of the ejecting-slide. A roller 56 is arrangedjust in front of the bottom of the cigar-box when in position on theframe and with its top on a level with the top surface of thebox-bottom. Thus a rounded surface is provided at this point and injuryto cigars due to rearward movement of the feed slide is prevented. If acigar should be pressed upon the roller 56, the latter would turn andguide the cigar up, and thus it would be relieved from the pressure.

Obviously my machine is capable of considerable modification within thescope of my invention, and therefore I do not wish to be limited to thespecific construction shownand described.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A vending-machine comprising a frame provided with a chamber tocontain the articles to be delivered, an ejecting member, a chuteleading from said chamber to said ejecting member, and an oscillatorybottom for said chamber, one end of which moves substantially in theplane of one wall of said chute, an apron substantially confined to thewall of said chute and connected to said end of said bottom to movetherewith, said ejecting member and said bottom being operativelyconnected, whereby the articles in said chamber will be agitated andcertain of them will be alined with said chute whenever an article isdelivered.

2. A vending-machine comprising a frame provided with a chamber tocontain the articles to be delivered, an ejecting member provided with arecess to contain an article to be delivered, means to adjust the widthof said recess in said ejecting member, a chute leading from saidchamber to said recess, means to adjust the width of said chute, anoscillatory bottom for said chamber, and means connecting said ejectingmember and said oscillatory bottom to actuate the latter when the formeris actuated.

3. A vending-machine comprising a frame provided with a chamber tocontain the articles to be vended, an ejecting member provided with arecess to contain an article to be delivered, means to adjust thecross-sectional area of said recess, a chute connecting said chamber andsaid recess, and means to adjust the size of said chute.

4. A vending-machine comprising a frame provided with a chamber tocontain the articles to be vended, an ejecting member, a chute leadingfrom said chamber to said member, an oscillatory bottom for saidchamber, one end of which moves substantially in the plane of one wallof said chute, and a reciprocatory feed member mounted on said bottom.

5. A vending-machine comprising'a frame provided with a chamber tocontain the articles to be vended, an ejecting member, a chute leadingfrom said chamber to said member, an oscillatory bottom for said chamberhaving one end substantially in the plane of one wall of said chute, andan apron connected with said bottom to move with the end thereof butsubstantially confined to the plane of the wall of said chute.

6. A vending-machine comprising a frame provided with a chamber tocontain the articles to be vended, an ejecting member, an

oscillatory bottom for said chamber, a feed oscillating said bottom andreciprocating said feed-slide upon actuation of the ejecting member.

7. In a vending-machine, an ejecting member having a recess to containan article to be delivered, one of the sides of said recess beingsimultaneously adjustable horizontally and vertically and a screwarranged to adjust said side and hold it in itsposition of adjustmentwhereby said recess may be adjusted in cross-section and its dimensionsmay betemporarily fixed.

8. A vending-machine comprising a frame provided with a chamber tocontain the articles to be delivered, an ejecting member provided with arecess to receive an article to be delivered, means to adjust one wallof said recess downwardly and inwardly, a chute leading from saidchamber to said recess and having a wall in substantial alinement withsaid wall of said recess and means to adjust said wall of said chutedownwardly and inwardly, whereby said chute and saidmeans may beadjusted to substantially the same width.

9. In a vending-machine, an ejecting member having a recess to containan article to be delivered, and means to equally vary the vertical andhorizontal dimensions of the crosssectional area of said recess.

10. In a vending machine, an ejecting member provided with a recess tocontain an article to be delivered and comprising relatively movableframes, said frames having I my hand, in the presence of two subscribingcooperating inclined bearing surfaces and witnesses, this 3d day ofAugust, 1904, at St. means to adjust one frame with respect to Louis,Missouri.

the other whereby the vertical and horizontal LEE 0. SPOONER. 5dimensions of the cross-sectional area of said Witnesses:

recess may be simultaneously varied. W. L. COLEY,

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set FRED F. REIsNER.

